Alternate Animal Affection: Difference between revisions

There's a problem that arises in stories featuring reasonably anthropomorphic animals, both of the plain old [[Talking Animal|talking]] and [[Funny Animal|funny]] varieties. Many writers want to include romantic plots or subplots in these works. For human characters, [[True Love's Kiss|a kiss]] often serves as [[Sealed with a Kiss|the closure]] to a [[Will They or Won't They?]] arc.

The problem arises from the fact that, unless you're writing [[Everything's Better with Monkeys|monkeys and apes]] (or fish, we suppose, but there are usually [[No Cartoon Fish]]) most animals just ''don't have the facial structure required'' for a human-type, lip-to-lip kiss. So having animals "kiss" like humans isn't necessarily plausible. So what do writers do?

* '''Ignore it.''' Anatomy? What anatomy? For the purposes of the work, a duck's bill can become just as pliant and squishy as human lips so that [[Donald Duck|Donald and Daisy]] can have their smooch. [[Funny Animal|Funny Animals]], or just those in less-realistic works, tend to get saddled with this option.

* '''Come up with an alternate gesture with the same meaning.''' After all, real-world animals ''do'' have ways to express affection, so why not? Common choices for this one include: Licking (like [[All Animals Are Dogs|dogs]]), rubbing noses/snouts, [[Headbutt of Love|bumping foreheads]], or crossing necks (which can also substitute for a hug). Works with [[Talking Animal|Talking Animals]], or more realism, tend to use this. Alternatively, it might just be more whimsical.

* In ''[[The Swan Princess]],'' Lt. [[Species Surname|Puffin]] manages to give a kiss to the back of Odette's hand. The tip of his beak kind of... folds back.

* ''[[Catnapped]]!'' has [[Catgirl]] Chuchu impart a quick lick on the cheek to Yasuo [[Smooch of Victory|after]] [[Puppy Love|he saves their world]]. [[Just in Time]], no less.

* ''[[The Lion King]]'' uses the "crossing necks" variant, for both romantic and familial affection.